This is not my website. That would be www.lovelake.org. This was about art and artists, writings, interviews, audio, video etc. during a certain era of art blogging. Now it is just suspended in the occasional image.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Yesterday I visited with Ann Shiogi at her show at 12 x 16. We both used to show at Alysia Duckler and it had been awhile since I had seen her work. The paintings are thick and cake-like, plus she had these rubbings from Old Town up. Here’s the video.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

“There is not much future in men being friends with great women although it can be pleasant enough before it gets better or worse, and there is usually even less future with truly ambitiouswomen writers.” – A Moveable Feast, Ernest Hemingway

When Hemingway writes of Gertrude Stein, he sounds like he’s finally getting a word in edgewise and has to do it through a memoir. Approaching the end of A Moveable Feast was almost painful, as I relished every page, but a commentary on that book is perhaps best left for another time….

The election depresses me. When I visit other art blogs and read casual or not so casual political pitching, I don’t like it, so I’ve kept my mouth shut. But everyday the news seems to be worse and worse, especially as regards to how women are playing on this field.

For distraction and comparison, I check out Mad Men and Perry Mason. In an AMC promotional video (courtesy TV Squad), the cast and creators of Mad Men tell us that all women (and their men) of the early 60s saw women as either Jackie or Marilyn. You wanted to be either one or the other, this was the sum total of your aspirations.

Then a cute poll was shelled out: Who do you want to be?

- I am Jackie.
- I am Marilyn
- Actually, I’m Gertrude Stein.

And shitdamn, if Gertrude Stein isn’t hands-down winning! It was the best news I had this morning. Turns out we really don’t want to be the Whore or the Madonna but a great writer and tastemaker. Maybe not a great looker, but that’s who we want to be. And a woman to give Hemingway a hard time.

As of September 2, 10:20AM:For the women: are you a Jackie or a Marilyn?Jackie
29.0%
Marilyn
18.3%
Actually, I'm Gertrude Stein
51.6%